Dialog Editor
WILMINGTON — Before there was a St. Joseph Church on French Street, black Catholics here gathered for Mass in the basement of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception on Pine Street.
Beginning in 1889, Father John A. de Ruyter, a Josephite priest, celebrated those Masses for “colored” Catholics, members of what was known as St. Joseph Mission. The Masses took place in the basement of St. Mary’s because the mission’s congregation wasn’t allowed to worship upstairs.
Wilmington Bishop Alfred A. Curtis dedicated the first St. Joseph Church in 1890.
That early history of St. Joseph’s, told in the parish’s 125th anniversary book, reflects the deep faith of its founding members and the proud heritage of faith, hope and service to the church honored by its members now.
On Oct. 9, Bishop Malooly was the main celebrant of St. Joseph’s “quasquicentennial” Mass, marking its 125 years. The modest church, now surrounded by office buildings, was filled to capacity for the observance.
Prior to the gathering hymn led by the Wilmington Diocese Gospel Choir, Chantal Jackson and Marie Reed waited with
Bishop Malooly receives the gifts from Mikayla Purnell (left), Tia Pulliam, and Yvonne Hill during the 125th anniversary celebration Mass at St. Joseph Church on French St., Sunday, October 5.
The Dialog/www.DonBlakePhotography.com
fellow members of the Ladies Auxiliary of Peter Claver in the crowed vestibule. They both praised the dedication of their fellow parishioners, the family atmosphere and the variety of ministries the 300-family parish provides.
“I would say we have a good variety of worker bee parishioners and leadership,” Jackson said.
In addition to Bishop Malooly, the procession to the altar included Bishop John Ricard, bishop-emeritus of Tallahassee, Fla.; Father William Norvell, superior general of the St. Joseph Society of the Sacred Heart, the Josephite order that ministered at the parish from its founding until 1994; Franciscan Father Paul Williams, the current pastor; and Father John C. Frambes, the Franciscan pastor from 2005 to 2013.
In his homily, Bishop Malooly noted the day was also Respect Life Sunday.
In a time when many people don’t respect life, and when people commit murder and others don’t even value their own life, the bishop said. “Some don’t understand the ideals of Christ.”
But at St. Joseph, “in the middle of this city, we make a difference,” Bishop Malooly said. “Our prayer here, our intercession before God can have an impact on others. Here at St. Joseph, we have been a beacon of life and faith.”
The bishop recalled that when he was a pastor at a parish in Baltimore, he asked parishioners there to be holy, be joyful and be the fact of Jesus.
“When I come here,” he said, “that is exactly what I see. It’s what you do. I want to congratulate you for that and ask you to continue to be a beacon of life and faith in the city.”
That light of the parish still draws new members from near and far to French Street.
DeAnna Cardenas moved to Wilmington from the Detroit area in 2006. While working for Bank of America on French Street, she discovered the nearby St. Joseph’s had a Gospel choir.
“Once I found out there was a Gospel choir, I attended Mass there and fell in love with the parish and the people.”
And, yes, Cardenas now sings in the choir.
“I tell everybody that I meet to come here and sing. Join us, if the spirit moves them.”
Vern Taylor, a member of the Knights of Peter Claver, has been a parishioner of St. Joseph’s since 1994.
“I used to attend some other churches,” he said. “Then one day I saw an announcement about a Martin Luther King program here. I came and I liked what I saw — the friendliness and the feeling that comes from everybody here.”
Robert Hoppson, also a Knight of Peter Claver, grew up in West Philadelphia where he attended St. Thomas More High School.
“I had a couple of events in my life, and I said, ‘I want to go back to church,’” he recalled.
“A janitor at my wife’s school said to ‘go to this church and you’ll love it. Go to Delaware, you’ll be shocked at what you see.’ I came down here (in 1996) and the warmth of everything was evident. I just stayed.”
Neither Hoppson nor Taylor just stayed. As active members of Peter Claver they help on parish projects and help raise money for scholarships.
“Whatever the priest needs to be done,” Taylor said. “It’s a labor of love.”
Father Williams, the current pastor, calls St. Joseph’s wonderful.
“This is my fourth parish as a pastor. The people here at St. Joseph’s really know their history and they’re proud of their parish. A lot of families here can trace their roots back in the parish and a lot travel various distances to remain as members.”
Because St. Joseph’s history includes the work of the Josephite Fathers for most of its history, “that’s the reason I was adamant the Josephites would play a role in our anniversary,” Father Williams said.
He noted that Bishop Ricard, a Josephite priest, spoke about St. Katharine Drexel’s connection to St. Joseph’s through the Jose-phite order in his talk at the anniversary luncheon Oct. 9 at he Hotel DuPont.
The Philadelphia saint donated money to the order to help build St. Joseph’s first church, Bishop Richard said. She also contributed to the orphanage that was next to the church building, which later became St. Joseph’s Industrial School in Clayton, thanks again to a St. Katharine Drexel gift.
Judging from the history of the city parish and its dedicated parishioners, St, Katharine isn’t the only saint linked to St. Joseph’s.
Father Williams said as much when after the anniversary Mass he proclaimed, “Thank you people of St. Joseph for the 125 years we have been here. Our ancestors are in the house!”
